CHAPTER 12 ■ SOLDERLESS PROTOTYPINGPlastic caps insulate the binding posts. The caps are usually different colors. For consistency, use red for
positive power and black for negative.
The plastic caps twist up to expose a small hole in the metal post. You can insert a wire through the post
hole and screw the cap back down to hold the wire in place. You can then push the other end of the wire into
a hole in the breadboard.
Atop the post is a jack (connection hole) for a banana plug.
Banana Plugs
Banana plugs? You bet. Banana plugs kind of look like bananas on the ends, to the same extent that alligator
clips look like alligators on the ends.
The nicer banana plugs include jacks in the middle and rear (see Figure 12-12) so that you can insert
and connect additional banana plugs. A pair of insulated banana plugs connected by a wire is called a
banana test lead.
Banana plugs are often found on test equipment, like meters and scopes, and also found on laboratory
power supplies.
Hungry for Breadboards
Breadboards are available in a variety of sizes (see Figure 12-13). The boards are usually classified by the
number of tie points (holes). I probably have half a dozen of the 840 tie-point boards, as well as a couple of
smaller 270 tie-point and larger 3220 tie-point boards. The 840-size makes a fine starter board (see Table 12-1).
Figure 12-12. Banana plug with a jack in the middle and the rear